A. Rodda

2024 A. Rodda Smith's Vineyard Chardonnay | Beechworth, VIC | 97 Points

Name: 2024 A. Rodda Smith's Vineyard Chardonnay | Beechworth, VIC | 97 Points
Brand: A. Rodda
Price: 90.00 AUD
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🏆 97 Points | Just 183 Vines, Planted in 1978 – One of Australia's Most Extraordinary Chardonnays!

97 Points – The R Review | 96 Points – Halliday Wine Companion

From Beechworth's Historic Smiths Vineyard – A Chardonnay That Deserves to Be Mentioned Alongside Australia's Finest!

2024 A. Rodda Smith's Vineyard Chardonnay

Beechworth, Victoria

RRP $90

What if I told you that one of Australia's most extraordinary Chardonnays comes from a tiny triangular block of just 183 vines, planted nearly 50 years ago, sitting 550 metres above sea level in the mountains of northeast Victoria?

Well, that's exactly what we have here!

And the wine?

2024 A. Rodda Smith's Vineyard Chardonnay.

One of the most exciting Chardonnays coming out of Beechworth, made by one of Australia's most accomplished and thoughtful Chardonnay specialists.

97 POINTS – THE R REVIEW!

96 POINTS – HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION!

And believe me, there's a lot more to this wine than two extraordinary scores.

The vineyard was planted in 1978.

The vines grow at 550 metres above sea level.

The soils sit at the meeting point of two of Beechworth's defining geological formations.

And the winemaker, Adrian Rodda, spent years working alongside David Bicknell at Oakridge, helping develop one of Australia's most celebrated Chardonnays, the Oakridge 864.

This is the sort of Chardonnay that gets me seriously excited!

Old vines. Extraordinary geology. Beautiful winemaking. And a wine of remarkable precision, concentration and length.

A. Rodda – One of Australia's Great Chardonnay Specialists

Adrian Rodda is one of those winemakers whose reputation among serious Chardonnay lovers is enormous.

And for good reason.

Before establishing A. Rodda Wines, Adrian spent many years working alongside David Bicknell at Oakridge in the Yarra Valley.

During that period, he was involved in the development of the celebrated Oakridge 864 Chardonnay, a wine that became one of the benchmarks for modern Australian Chardonnay.

Think about what made those wines so extraordinary.

Beautiful fruit purity.

Subtle, carefully integrated oak.

Remarkable acidity.

Fine mineral structure.

And an ability to express individual vineyard sites.

Adrian carried that philosophy into his own winemaking.

In 2010, he moved to Beechworth with his wife Christie and began working with fruit from the historic Smiths Vineyard.

His approach is fascinating because he doesn't believe great Chardonnay should be dominated by winemaking.

The vineyard should do the talking.

And when you have a vineyard as extraordinary as Smiths, that's exactly what you want.

Smiths Vineyard – Planted in 1978, Before Beechworth Became Famous

Here's something many Chardonnay lovers wouldn't know.

Smiths Vineyard was planted in 1978.

That's before Beechworth developed the international reputation it enjoys today.

Before the region became synonymous with some of Australia's most celebrated premium Chardonnays.

The vineyard was already growing Chardonnay in the hills of northeast Victoria.

And those mature vines are now a remarkable asset.

The vineyard sits approximately 550 metres above sea level.

At this elevation, the growing conditions are relatively cool, allowing Chardonnay to retain beautiful acidity while developing concentration and complexity.

But here's where the story becomes even more interesting.

The vineyard lies at the meeting point of two distinctive soil types.

Granitic soils.

And red, shaley Ordovician soils.

That geological transition is a fascinating feature of the site.

Granite is particularly important to the identity of many great Beechworth Chardonnays, contributing to the vineyard conditions that help shape their distinctive mineral tension and structure.

And in the glass, this Chardonnay has an extraordinary sense of precision.

The Triangle Block – Just 183 Vines!

Now here's the detail that really sets this wine apart.

Within Smiths Vineyard are four Chardonnay blocks.

One is known as the Triangle Block.

Why?

Because the rows become progressively shorter, giving the planted area a triangular shape.

And how many vines are in this remarkable little block?

Just 183.

That's it!

One hundred and eighty-three Chardonnay vines.

Facing southeast.

Planted in 1978.

Growing at approximately 550 metres above sea level.

And capable of producing some of the most extraordinary Chardonnay fruit in Australia.

In particularly exceptional seasons, fruit from this block has warranted its own special single-block release.

For the 2024 Smiths Vineyard Chardonnay, this historic parcel is central to the wine's remarkable story.

It's an extraordinary reminder that some of the greatest wines don't come from enormous vineyards. They come from tiny pieces of land with something genuinely special to say.

Beechworth – One of Australia's Great Chardonnay Regions

Beechworth is a fascinating wine region.

Situated in the hills of northeast Victoria, it combines altitude, complex geology and a continental climate with significant temperature variation.

And it's become one of the most celebrated places in Australia for Chardonnay.

Think about the names associated with this remarkable district.

Giaconda.

Sorrenberg.

Fighting Gully Road.

Sentio.

A. Rodda.

These are producers that have helped demonstrate the extraordinary potential of Chardonnay in northeast Victoria.

The best Beechworth Chardonnays can be intensely concentrated.

But they also have beautiful acidity.

Savoury complexity.

Fine mineral structure.

And the ability to develop for many years in the cellar.

The 2024 A. Rodda Smiths Vineyard Chardonnay is a wonderful expression of that regional character.

Tasting Notes – White Nectarine, Flint, Citrus and Extraordinary Mineral Precision

This is a beautifully composed Chardonnay.

And one that reveals its complexity gradually.

The aromas open with fresh citrus and stone fruit.

White nectarine.

Lemon pith.

Grapefruit peel.

Quince.

But then the more fascinating characters begin to emerge.

Struck flint.

Toasted almonds.

Nutmeg.

Gentle savoury spice.

Subtle biscuity oak.

And a delicate earthy complexity.

The palate is magnificent.

There's serious stone fruit concentration, but everything is held together by beautifully vibrant citrus acidity.

The texture is silky and refined.

Fine lees-derived richness provides depth without overwhelming the wine.

And then comes that wonderful Beechworth mineral character.

Taut. Precise. Savoury. Beautifully persistent.

The finish is long, with grapefruit pith, toasted nuts and a fine saline edge.

White nectarine. Grapefruit. Lemon pith. Flint. Toasted almond. Nutmeg. Granitic minerality. Extraordinary length.

This is Chardonnay with both power and restraint.

And that's a very difficult combination to achieve.

Winemaking – Letting the Vineyard Speak

Adrian Rodda's winemaking is beautifully considered.

The fruit was whole-bunch pressed directly to oak, without clarification or racking beforehand.

Fermentation took place without temperature control, allowing the fermentation to progress naturally.

After fermentation, the wine was sulphured to preserve freshness and acidity.

It then rested on its lees for approximately 12 months.

Following that, the wine spent a further four months in older oak before bottling.

The wine was bottled in June 2025.

What I love about this approach is the emphasis on preserving vineyard character.

The lees contribute texture and complexity.

The oak provides structure and subtle savoury detail.

But the fruit remains the star.

And with Chardonnay from a vineyard as special as Smiths, that's exactly how it should be.

Why This Chardonnay Is So Special

There are plenty of excellent Chardonnays in Australia.

But very few have a story quite like this.

Think about what you're getting.

A vineyard planted in 1978.

An elevation of 550 metres.

A tiny Triangle Block of just 183 vines.

A meeting point of granite and ancient Ordovician soils.

A winemaker who helped develop Oakridge 864 Chardonnay.

Thoughtful, restrained winemaking.

And two extraordinary critic scores.

This is a Chardonnay with genuine history and a remarkable sense of place.

And those are qualities that cannot simply be manufactured in a winery.

A Chardonnay for Lovers of Great White Burgundy

If you love the great Chardonnays of Burgundy, this is a wine that deserves your attention.

Particularly if your tastes lean towards the precision and tension of Puligny-Montrachet, Saint-Aubin or the more mineral expressions of Meursault.

Not because Adrian Rodda is trying to imitate Burgundy.

He's not.

He's expressing Beechworth.

But the wine possesses many of the qualities that make great Chardonnay so compelling.

Beautiful fruit.

Fine acidity.

Subtle oak.

Savoury complexity.

Mineral precision.

And extraordinary length.

This is world-class Australian Chardonnay with a distinctly Beechworth identity.

Cellaring Potential

The 2024 A. Rodda Smiths Vineyard Chardonnay has the concentration, acidity and structure to develop beautifully in the cellar.

It's already an exciting wine, but I'd be fascinated to see how it evolves.

As great Chardonnay matures, youthful citrus and stone fruit can develop towards toasted nuts, honey, biscuit and deeper savoury complexity.

Suggested drinking window: 2026–2036, subject to storage conditions and personal preference.

If opening young, I'd give it some time in the glass.

Serve cool rather than ice-cold.

And watch the wine become increasingly expressive.

Food Pairings

This is a magnificent Chardonnay for food.

I'd recommend:

Roast chicken with lemon and thyme
King George whiting
Grilled scallops with brown butter
Western Australian marron
Lobster with beurre blanc
Mushroom and truffle risotto
Roast pork
Comté
Gruyère

Personally, I'd love this with beautifully roasted chicken, wild mushrooms and a rich pan sauce.

The combination of Chardonnay's texture, mineral freshness and savoury complexity would be absolutely sensational.

Why We Love It at Liquid Vibe

Because these are exactly the wines that make this business so exciting.

I love discovering Chardonnays with extraordinary stories.

And this one has everything.

An old vineyard.

Remarkable geology.

A tiny parcel of vines.

One of Australia's most accomplished Chardonnay winemakers.

And a wine that has attracted extraordinary praise.

2024 A. Rodda Smiths Vineyard Chardonnay

Beechworth, Victoria

Smiths Vineyard – Planted 1978

550 Metres Above Sea Level

Historic Triangle Block – Just 183 Vines

Granitic and Ordovician Soils

Whole-Bunch Pressed

12 Months on Lees

Further Maturation in Older Oak

97 Points – The R Review

96 Points – Halliday Wine Companion

RRP $90

This is serious Chardonnay.

A wine with concentration, complexity, elegance and extraordinary precision.

And one that deserves to sit alongside the very finest Chardonnays being produced in Australia.